Pregnancy may seem terrifying for some young women, but an organization in Champaign is working to ease that fear.

The Pregnancy Resource Center of Champaign held an open house yesterday to show off its new facility.

The Center offers free on-site pregnancy tests, parenting classes, adoption counseling and provides each girl with a mentor.

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Johanna Henry is a mentor with the center. She believes that educating women is a crucial step to a baby’s future.

“A lot of [the women] that come in here are very young and and they’re girls themselves and having babies is something that is so brand new to them and they don’t know much about it so having them watch videos and do different assignments that they’re given and reading really help them become better mothers,” Henry said..

Clients at the center range from eleven to 40-years-old. As each girl completes an assignment or watches a video they are given “mommy money.” They can then use this money to purchase cribs, clothes, or even diapers that the center provides.

Greta Henry is the director of the center. She thinks that girls should not feel discouraged by pregnancy.

“A lot of times girls are just looked down on for a lot of reasons for getting pregnant or getting this or that and I want them to be able to say no you know what you are special we can help you get through these things and get going on to what’s supposed to be going on in your life,” Greta said.

The center operates with the help of volunteers and from donations within the community. Henry says they hope to expand its services to include a maternity ward to provide shelter for pregnant women without homes.